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An eggscellent birthday gift

Why do we give birthday gifts? Surely it's to bring joy to the birthday person. So what would they enjoy? Often it's not a physical present. Often it's our physical presence.

Today is my sister-in-law's birthday. She wasn't at all keen to have a party like last year's milestone birthday. Instead she suggested a simple bike ride along the river leading to a brunch at a riverside restaurant.


She seemed to really enjoy the day. And why not? A pleasant bike ride alongside the river on a gorgeous day followed by a delicious brunch - all in the company of people close to her. That's the kind of thing we really enjoy. It's not the kind of thing you get at a shop. It's not the kind of things that fills up your house, but it is the kind of thing that fills your heart.

PS. I don't often take photos of food, but I tried to capture the joy of a mid-morning Eggs Benedict by the waterfront. In the moment I ate most of it before even thinking of a photo.

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